Nearly four hundred guests attended the annual “Table of Faiths” event held on Tuesday, April 21st at the Sheraton Crown Center from 6-9 p.m. This year’s theme was “One Family, One World, One Future.” Representatives from twenty global faith traditions found right here in our city, manned the booths surrounding the spacious room, ready to answer questions and share literature about their faiths.
The melodious chords of the “Voices of Change” boys’ choir from the Kansas City, Kansas school district welcomed guests. The Council presented two awards to long-time interfaith representatives in our community. The first one went to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, with recent exhibits on American Indian Artists of the Earth and Sky, its Islamic and Arabian exhibits, and upcoming exhibit on contemporary spiritual art, as well as its permanent collections representing global faith traditions.
The second award went to Rev. Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, retired pastor of the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, introduced via DVD by his good friend, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. Hartsfield, a former member of the Interfaith Council, has been a voice for unity in the community for four decades.
Speakers George Noonan, Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons, and Rev. Kelly Isola respectively, offered inspiring comments during the evening on “One Family, One World, One Future.” Buffet tables and open seating provided opportunities for guests to mingle and make new friends. The evening was an inspiration to all who attended to rededicate themselves by their individual and collective example to appreciating, educating, understanding, and unifying our diverse family of faiths in one voice for truth, justice, and love. Many thanks to all who planned, carried out, supported and attended this event.